West

Therapists reveal how wildfire survivors can help their children cope with trauma

Published

1 year ago

January 18, 2025

Therapists reveal how wildfire survivors can help their children cope with trauma

Therapists say survivors of the California wildfires can help their children heal from the trauma of leaving everything they know behind by continuing on with their daily routines, providing an empathetic ear and reinforcing their safety.

While fire crews continue to combat the wildfires consuming Los Angeles County, officials as of Saturday said at least 30 people remain missing while two additional deaths brought the toll to 27.

“Many children are facing the devastation of the fires in California. As parents and caregivers, it’s crucial to support children during this crisis, giving them space to share what they saw, heard, and felt,” Dr. Cindy Davis, clinical director of Positive Development in Pasadena, Calif., told Fox News Digital. “Encourage them to share their experiences and be open to any form of communication. Some may repeat the same story, while others may prefer not to talk much. Let them choose when and how to share. Consider your child’s experience with the disaster — did they evacuate, see homes burning, or witness fear? Use these clues to guide your conversations. For younger children specifically, pay attention to the themes in their play, as it often reflects their concerns and helps them process their feelings.”

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES: ESSENTIAL PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES-AREA RESIDENTS AND HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM

Dr. Gail Saltz, associate professor of psychiatry at the New York Presbyterian Hospital Weill Cornell School of Medicine, explained that the fires have caused “tremendous and ongoing loss” for both adults and children.

Burned out classic cars sit like ghosts after being destroyed by wildfire, Altadena, California, Friday, January 10, 2025. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)

“The most important thing for children now is to make them feel that they and you, their parents, are safe,” she advised. “Parents should often explain, ’We are safe because’ or ‘here is our safety plan’ or ‘we need to start our safety plan and once we get there, I can answer all your questions.’ Expect and answer repeated concerns from children about safety of themselves and their loved ones. Try to do nice things together demonstrating that it feels safe for all of you, like playing a game. Remind them no matter what you have lost, the most important thing is that you are together and safe. Home is, and will be, where you are.”

One way to help children feel safe amid the chaos of relocating is letting them express their preferences about what they can control, such as a new room, school or activity, therapist Samantha Silverman, LCSW, told Fox News Digital.

“Plan activities together to explore the new city and make it feel like home,” Silverman suggested. “Maintain consistent daily routines to provide a sense of stability and security. Incorporate comforting traditions or activities that remind them of home, such as family meals or bedtime rituals. Help your child acclimate by exploring the new city together, visiting local parks, schools or libraries. Encourage participation in community or extracurricular activities to help them make new friends and build a sense of belonging.”

La Jolla, Calif., child psychiatrist Josh Feder, M.D., who explained children “need extra support” during this time, advised parents to make sure their children are in a safe place with clean air and cautioned against watching news of the fires around children.

“Use alerts on your phone to get important updates,” he said. “It’s important to tell the truth but not make it too scary. For example, ‘Our house burned down but we are safe now.’ Our job is to protect kids and make them feel as safe as we can!”

A helicopter drops water on the Palisades Fire in Mandeville Canyon, Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Ethan Swope/AP)

Saltz explained that while the wildfires make for a stressful situation for both adults and children, they can make it through the hardship.

“Human capacity for resilience is such that the majority of these people will eventually make their way through these losses to recoup their lives, but the more coping tools and support they can receive, the more likely that is and the less painful it will be,” she said.

Fox News Digital’s Stephen Sorace contributed to this report.

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Montana

Your guide to local sports events, plus what’s on TV

Published

17 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

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Your guide to local sports events, plus what’s on TV

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Nevada

How the strikes on Iran could impact gas prices in northern Nevada

Published

29 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

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How the strikes on Iran could impact gas prices in northern Nevada

The United States and Israel launched targeted attacks on Iran on Saturday. The move brought new uncertainty into global energy markets, as northern Nevadans could be paying more at the pump in the coming weeks.

Following the strikes, oil prices increased. Brent crude, the international benchmark, jumped to roughly $73 a barrel, while the national benchmark, West Texas Intermediate, traded above $67.

Much of the concern centers around the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between Iran and Oman. which carries about a fifth of the world’s oil supplies.

Patrick de Haan, head of petroleum analysis with GasBuddy, a price tracking company, spoke on the current questions in the region.

“The known would reduce oil prices if there becomes clarity, but it’s the unknown that is stoking fears…. If there is some sort of clarity in the days ahead, whether from Iran, the United States, or Israel, on how long this would last. We’d be able to put potentially an end date for the potential impacts that we’re seeing,” said de Haan.

Experts say for every $5 to $10 increase in oil prices, drivers could pay 15 to 25 cents more per gallon.

According to Triple-A, the average price of a gallon of gas in Nevada on Sunday comes in at $3.70, which comes in above the national average of roughly $2.98.

Over at the Rainbow Market on Vassar Street, prices sat just below four dollars a gallon on Sunday. Reno resident Abran Reyes talked about gas prices potentially going up.

“Whether it’s to work, to maybe run errands, to do stuff that helps you, gas is essential…. That gas price really hits, especially in today’s economy, where gas prices are extraordinary…. I just hope everyone’s safe. I hope our soldiers and all of our troops can be okay,” said Reyes.

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New Mexico

3 thoughts: New Mexico 81, SDSU 76 … Kudos for the local kid, mid-majors getting the squeeze and European bigs

Published

47 minutes ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

3 thoughts: New Mexico 81, SDSU 76 … Kudos for the local kid, mid-majors getting the squeeze and European bigs

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Three thoughts on San Diego State’s 81-76 loss at New Mexico on Saturday afternoon:

1. Kudos

No loss is a happy occasion within SDSU’s basketball program, but it was mitigated somewhat by the how and who:

The how: A 3-pointer from the left wing with 43 seconds left that broke a 74-74 tie.

The who: Luke Haupt, a sixth-year senior from St. Augustine High School and Point Loma Nazarene University who is one of those classy, genuine guys you can’t help but root for.

Aztecs coaches know him and his family well, his father Mike being the longtime head coach at Saints who sent Trey Kell to them. Aztecs players know him from the Swish summer league and open gyms during the summer.

Coach Brian Dutcher: “Kudos to Luke, known him a long time. Coaches are a little different than fan bases, where sometimes (fans) get too hard on the opposition. I wanted to win in the worst way, trust me when I tell you that. But … tip your hat to guys who make important and timely plays.”

Junior guard Miles Byrd: “Credit to Luke Haupt. He’s a San Diego kid. He’s going to (get) up for these type of games. You respect that. Players show up in games like this, and he showed up.”

There’s respect for the moment and respect for what it took to get there.

Haupt grew up, like most kids in San Diego, watching the Aztecs and dreaming of maybe one day playing in Viejas Arena. He went to Division II PLNU instead and toiled in relative anonymity for five seasons, one of which was abbreviated by the pandemic and 1½ of which was wiped out by knee surgery.

The 6-foot-7 wing finally got to Division I for his sixth and final year, lured to New Mexico by former UC San Diego coach Eric Olen, and has averaged 7.2 points per game with a career high of 30 against Boise State. He had 17 on Saturday against his hometown team, the final three coming with 43 seconds left in a tie game.

The play wasn’t designed for him. Fate sent the ball his way.

“It was a big shot, but it was everything I’ve worked on my entire career and basketball life,” Haupt said. “It’s all the people who have helped me get here and all the work that’s been put in.

“These are moments you dream about.”

2. Death of Cinderella

The Aztecs have slipped off the NCAA Tournament bubble with losses in three of their last four games, yet their metrics are comparable and in some cases better than a year ago, when they didn’t win the conference tournament and sneaked into the First Four in Dayton.

They are hanging tough at 42 in Kenpom and 44 in NET. Last year they were 46 and 52 on Selection Sunday.

The problem is that there might be historically few at-large berths available to mid-major conferences as the preposterous sums of money coursing through the sport accentuates the divide between the haves and have-nots. The latest field from ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has 11 teams from the SEC, nine from the Big Ten and eight each from the Big 12 and ACC.

The Big East, considered a power conference given its financial commitment to men’s basketball (although that is starting to wane), is expected to get only three, but do the math: Power conferences account for 34 of the 37 at-large invitations to the 68-team field.

Lunardi, and several other bracketologists, has only three mid-majors getting at-large berths: Saint Mary’s and Santa Clara from the WCC, and New Mexico from the Mountain West.

Only Saint Mary’s is in the main bracket. Santa Clara and New Mexico are in his First Four (and the Lobos are his last team in).

“It’s harder,” Dutcher said, “because there are only so many at-large bids that are going to go to non-power conference teams. When thrown up against the power conferences, the Selection Committee is finding ways to put the power conference teams in.”

Since the tournament expanded from 65 to 68 in 2011, mid-majors have averaged a combined 6.3 at-large berths. The high was 10 in 2013, but it’s been seven as recently as 2024. Last year it slipped to four, equaling the record low, and no mid-major teams reached the Sweet 16.

If teams like Utah State, Saint Louis and Miami (Ohio) win their conference tournaments, knocking out “bid stealers,” it could be three, maybe even two.

Money is talking. It doesn’t guarantee success, but it certainly increases the chances.

3. Euros

The Aztecs have not dipped into the European professional market for players, but maybe this season will change their perspective.

They have nine losses. Seven have come against teams with a European big.

The latest was New Mexico, which got 24 points and 18 rebounds from the 6-foot-9, 240-pound Tomislav Buljan, a 23-year-old Croatian pro granted one season of collegiate eligibility by the NCAA. He had 20 and 14 in the first meeting, when the Aztecs narrowly escaped with an 83-79 win after trailing in the final minute.

“He was a monster tonight,” Haupt said. “That was huge for us. Loved the way he played.”

The week before, the Aztecs lost to Colorado State and Rashaan Mbemba from Austria.

They’ve lost to Grand Canyon twice with 7-1 Turkish pro Efe Demirel, a 21-year-old “freshman” who has experience in the Euroleague, the continent’s most prestigious competition.

In the December loss to Arizona where the Aztecs were crushed 52-28 on the boards, 7-2, 260-pound Lithuanian center Motiejus Krivas had 13.

Michigan, which beat SDSU in November, has 7-3 Aday Mara of Spain.

Baylor beat the Aztecs two days later with 6-9 Michael Rataj of Germany, then a few weeks later added 7-0 James Nnaji from Spanish club FC Barcelona.

Only Troy and Utah State didn’t start a European big in wins against SDSU — although Mexican forward Victor Valdes had 20 points for Troy.

“Obviously, it’s changing the game,” Dutcher said. “The European pros are coming over because they can make more money over here than they can in Europe. They come over and they’re making good money, whether it’s Demirel at Grand Canyon or it’s Buljan at New Mexico.

“These are good players who come up through a club system and are basically professional basketball players.”

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